Blessings & Legacy

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as this beautiful Sunday morning has dawned.

Wow, what a last couple of days! Between the University of Houston/Navy football game on Friday - as well as the tailgating that started at 7:00 a.m. and the night that closed by putting together a basketball hoop - and channeling my inner Clark Griswold (putting up Christmas lights) yesterday - of course I took a break to watch the Alabama/Auburn football game! :) - I find myself writing Happy Friday on a Sunday morning.

This morning I don't come to offer any advice or to provide a testimony. No, this morning I simply want to share a couple of thoughts, things I am working on...or out, and perhaps you too will find meaning in them.

In 2011 Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday. As with many things in life this new sense of what really matters, of having my eyes opened, came out of a season of tribulation. It had been a tough year that tested my faith deeply. God, as He always does, had provided. No, not in the way I thought or in the timing I had expected however His presence, and deliverance, were unmistakable. I was so grateful.

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving I really tried to be intentional about being truly thankful for the blessings, big & small, in my life. Not to just say I am thankful for them but to see them, recognize them and genuinely appreciate them. I know they are all around me and the only thing that keeps me from recognizing them all the time is my own selfishness. This is something I am really going to focus on ever day for the rest of my life. To be aware of, and genuinely grateful for, every blessing. I want the giving of thanks to be a daily attitude I possess, not a once of year holiday I celebrate.

The second thing I am spending some real time thinking & praying about came from an ESPN The Magazine article, written by Joel Anderson, that I read yesterday titled, "Earl Thomas is the favorite son of a troubled Texas town." Earl was born and raised in Orange, Texas, was a 2009 consensus All-American Defensive Back at the University of Texas and is a star player for the Seattle Seahawks where he has been a 6-time All Pro.

Here is the excerpt that got me:

"Thomas' largess in Orange has become the stuff of local legend. He holds a free summer football camp that draws hundreds of children. Last fall he chartered two buses for townsfolk to attend his alma mater's third straight state championship game appearance. He sponsors giveaways for Thanksgiving turkeys and winter coats. And those efforts are only the ones that he, a famously private man, allows us to see.

That civic devotion began with his grandfather, the late Earl Thomas Sr., who built a church in Orange's roughest section - the East side - proclaiming it the "church where everybody is somebody." A man of few words and endless drive, Earl Sr. had a ninth-grade education and worked at the same grocery store for 50 years. He didn't have much in his will to pass on to his six kids and their families. Instead, their inheritance was one of compassion for a place that can be as hard to live in as it is to love.

It's why Thomas' dad, Earl Jr., has spent weeks hanging drywall in homes battered by Harvey's winds and 34 inches of rain. It's why his mom, Debbie, is an unpaid church secretary after retiring from a local school district. And it's why Earl III often spends time in the offseason with kids in neighborhoods that are otherwise forgotten.

"He's always tried to help people," says Essie Bellfield, an 85-year-old civil rights activist who helped integrate Orange and became the city's first black mayor in 1997. "Which is the way he was raised up."

From Earl Sr. on down, helping people is his family's legacy. But when pulled up and away by his own talent and hard work, how much does a man owe to his hometown?"

It hit me like a 2 x 4 right between the eyes! What is the inheritance I am leaving my family? What is my families legacy? I am acutely aware that it is not in the words I speak but the actions I live, day after day after day after...

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a great week and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

Seeking Wisdom

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast.

On my desk at work, right next to my phone, I have a little sign that says: 
“And why quibble about the speck in someone else’s eye—his little fault[a]—when a board is in your own? How can you think of saying to him, ‘Brother, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the board in yours? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board, and then perhaps you can see well enough to deal with his speck! Luke 6:41-42(TLB). It is covered by a piece of glass. Right next to it is a little mirror. Above it all it says, "What Do You See?" It is a reminder to me that when I have challenges/difficulties I can look out the window and try to find faults in people, situations or I can look in the mirror and become better. Think of the quote that says, "Don't pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men."

For the last couple of weeks in particular, it has been the cry of my heart that I would grow in wisdom. I haven't spent time praying people or situations would change. No, I have been praying that I would grow, that I would recognize my faults and correct them, that I would grow to be all God has created me to become. This morning I simply want to share some scriptures & quotes that have really spoken to my Spirit over the past couple of weeks...perhaps you will find some meaning in them as well! :)

Luke 6:43-45(TLB)“A tree from good stock doesn’t produce scrub fruit nor do trees from poor stock produce choice fruit. A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thorns, or grapes on bramble bushes. A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.

James 1:2-8(TLB)2 Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.

Hebrews 12:14-15 (TLB)Try to stay out of all quarrels, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for one who is not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God’s best blessings. Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives.

Hebrews 12:1(TLB)12 Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.

Psalm 112:7-9(TLB)7 He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid but can calmly face his foes. He gives generously to those in need. His deeds will never be forgotten.[a] He shall have influence and honor.

And a few quotes:

"We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions. We need to offer grace to all, because we all need a little grace." - Dr. Jayce O'Neal

"Listen. Pay attention. Treasure every moment." - Oprah Winfrey

"Inner improvements create outer ones." - Steve Gutzler

"Make a difference with the people that are right in front of you. Impact them. One person at a time." - Jon Gordon

"We tend to live up to our expectations." - Tim Fargo

"Accountability is essential to personal growth, as well as team growth. How can you improve if you're never wrong? If you don't admit a mistake and take responsibility for it, you're bound to make the same one again." - Pat Summitt

"You are a piece of the puzzle to make this planet better - live your purpose - your greatness." - Steve Gutzler

A personal favorite of mine and another message to you this morning! :)

We all have problems, challenges & struggles. The question is, "What Do You See?" Do you look out the window and find fault in people & situations? Are you telling others what they should do, how they should act & who they should be? Please remember the quote that says something like, "When you are talking you are simply stating what you already know. When you listen, you grow." OR are you willing to take a look in the mirror? Are you willing to pray that YOU grow, that YOU will become better, that YOU will see things in a new light? I pray that you & I will continue to seek wisdom every day of our lives and that we will have humble, teachable hearts & Spirits.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev 

Don't Miss It

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast! The weather has been beautiful, our like 5 days of fall we get all year when the temperatures are in the high 60's, low 70's...for those in the Northeast & Midwest - it's all about perspective! :)

Earlier this week I heard a comedian speaking on the radio. He was talking about how ridiculous dreams are. He went on to explain that so many people miss living today, in the present moment, because we are so busy thinking about and waiting for our dreams to come true. As a guy who routinely encourages people to chase the dreams they treasure in their hearts it really got me to thinking. I understood his point.

For many years I had the privilege of serving others as a football coach. I didn't really know why, I just knew I wanted to try to make a difference in a kids life. I then went into intercollegiate athletic administration. I didn't really know why, I just knew I wanted to make a difference in a whole bunch of kids & coaches lives. And then God put me in time out. I went through a season of life that some might think was a negative however for me it was transformative. I took a job that to all the world made perfect sense - I must be clear here...God gave me signs that it was not right however I ran right through those stop signs! - however within 8 months I realized I was in the wrong place and then it took another 3 months to actually find a new job. It was during this time, a time I spent a ton of time with God reflecting on my life, who I am, what I believe, why I do what I do, etc. that I found my "Why".

Simon Sinek champions the idea of "Start with Why." On the website, startwithwhy.com, it says, "Everyone has a why. Why do you get up in the morning? Why does your organization exist? Your Why is the purpose, cause or belief that inspires you to do what you do. When you think, act and communicate starting with Why, you can inspire others."

Simon also came up with the idea of the Golden Circle. It is a three ring circle with Why? in the inner circle, How? in the middle circle and What? in the outer circle. Here is what they stand for:
Why? - Why do you do what you do?
How? - How do you do what you do?
What? - What do you do?

So let me bring this back in real personal. During my "time out" I realized that I really do believe that every persons life has value, meaning and purpose. I had also encountered hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who did not see the value, meaning & purpose of their own lives and thus, were not living them. It broke my heart...praying, "God, please break my heart for what breaks yours" really does work. I realized I had found my Why. Shortly thereafter I had clarity of why I truly believe the purpose placed me on this earth - to encourage, empower & equip others to become the best they are capable of becoming as they pursue their life purposes. This is my How? So What do I do? I intentionally get up very early every morning and read my Bible & then a leadership book - I must first encourage, empower & equip myself before I can even think about doing the same for others. I then write my Beautiful Bride and 3 Tender Warriors a note. After doing this I look for quotes & scriptures, usually led by a word or thought I read in my Bible or leadership book, that I then share on Twitter & Facebook. After doing this I go to the gym to workout and pray. One of the things I regularly pray is that I will see things with spiritual eyes, that God will continually break my heart for what breaks His. That I will not see people as they are but as they could be. That I will see the brokenness, hurt and love them and accept them where they are. I offer a word of encouragement whenever I can...and always a smile, to everyone. I do life with people. They call, I answer. They have a need I can meet I do everything I can to meet it. And oh yeah, once a week I get up a little bit earlier so I can write "Happy Friday!"

I want to circle back to the beginning. In the beginning I knew I wanted to be a football coach because I wanted to make a difference in a kids life. If you asked me my dream I would have told you it was to be a football coach in the Southeast Conference (SEC), preferably Georgia. When I was in athletic administration I would have told you that my dream was to be an athletics director, preferably in an athletic department that needed building...I have always been a builder, not so much one to sustain something that has already been built. The funny thing is, no matter my position, I always had contentment in my Spirit and I had great purpose. Why? I believe it is because I was just misidentifying the dream. It wasn't about the SEC, building an athletic department, etc. It was about encouraging, empowering & equipping others to become the best they are capable of becoming. Could I do that as a football coach? Absolutely! And at any level. Do I do it now as a Development Professional? Without question!

This all comes back to the point the gentleman was making on the radio. Had I sat their simply waiting & hoping for my "dream" of coaching in the SEC or building an athletic department, I would miss living the life that I am living, I would miss living my purpose. Encouraging, empowering & equipping others is not done in only one field, vocation, conference, etc. It is done living life where God has me.

So Friend, what is your Why? As I was thinking about this earlier today I think a real clarifying question is "what do you really believe?" What you really believe will lead you to your why. Here is the thing; this IS your life. Don't miss it waiting for the right job, person, conference, etc. Find your why and live it every single day wherever you are!  

One quick quote - it has nothing to do specifically with this Happy Friday! - that I came across this morning and want to share with you:

"So, we password protect our phones but we allow anything to enter our hearts???" - Derron E. Short

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev

Integrity & Grace

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you having a great day as a beautiful new day begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast...home of the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros! #HoustonStrong

Gotta few things I want to share this morning. This first one I found THIS morning, like 10 minutes ago! :) The following was posted by Proactive Coaching on their Facebook page and can be found at positivethingsonly.com. I hope it affirms & inspires you.

Here Are 13 Traits of People that Have True Integrity:

- They are trustworthy
Trust is actually the most common trait of these people. Once people with integrity have gained your trust, they will try to keep it.

- They are honest
They are honest people who don't feel the need to lie because they want to get where they need to get in life without lying.

- They are authentic
People with true integrity are actually their truest forms. You will never catch them in a lie.

- They do good things whenever they can
They often help others. They enjoy improving others lives.

- They are humble
They don't quite know their own worth. Although they do good things, they do not quite notice their act of kindness.

- They apologize first
In case people with true integrity have done something wrong, they will actually apologize. They admit their mistake as well as try to make things right.

- They believe other people
They don't take lying well. In case you lie to them, they will never take your word again.

- They are kind to people that need it
If you look like you need a little pick me up, people with true integrity will try to brighten up your day.

- They realize when something is bothering others
These people have a great intuition, which allows them to realize when something is going on. In case someone is down in the dumps, people with true integrity will notice.

- They give others the benefit of the doubt
People with true integrity try to see the good in others as they feel like many people have integrity, as well. So, in case you take advantage of these people too much, they will probably get rid of you.

- They don't argue over disagreements
These people often talk through things in a civil manner. Sometimes, they don't talk at all. They don't argue over anything ridiculous.

- They don't take advantage of other people
They don't take advantage of other people. In addition, they often build others up as well as help them get where they need to be.

- They credit people that deserve it
Those who have true integrity don't take credit for things they didn't do. Moreover, they often credit people that deserve it. In case you help them with a project, they will probably mention your name so you would take credit for your work.

- They value other people's time
These people value their own time as well as they value other people's time. This means that they understand that you have many other places you need to be. That's why they do not hold you up.

- They are genuine
They show their genuineness by action. For example, they will return lost money without expecting any reward of praise.

- They hold themselves accountable
They have strong commitment standards. This means that they set goals and try to achieve them. In case they feel that they are wavering from their goals, they adjust quickly.

- They hold you accountable
In case you tell your goals to these people, they may try to help you achieve them. In fact, it is the need to help other people succeed that drives them.

Now I want to transition to another thought/idea. What, or where, do you turn when you go through a difficult season of life? Jon Gordon, in his book Training Camp: A Fable About Excellence, credits Tony Boselli, a former College Football All American and Pro Bowl Offensive Lineman with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the idea of "during training camp everyone turns to something, you have to turn to the right things." To say it another way, "during difficult seasons of life, we all turn to something, you have to turn to the right things." Some turn to God, the Bible, wise counselors, etc. Others turn to alcohol, drugs, inappropriate relationships, etc. We are all going to go through storms. We are all going to turn to something. That something determines HOW we go through the storm and WHO we are when we come out on the other side of the storm. Please remember Sweet Friends, just as surely as storms will come they will also pass.

And shifting gears on you again real quick this morning, I want to share briefly something that happened during the World Series. By the way, did I mention the Houston Astros won?! :)

You might have seen, and probably heard, what happened during the 2nd inning of Game 3. Yuli Gurriel of the Astros hit a home run off of Yu Darvish of the Dodgers. Yuli then made an inappropriate racial gesture and an inappropriate racial slur. The cameras caught it and the world reacted.

Yu Darvish is a great pitcher. He had a tough World Series however failing moments don't define the greatness of an athlete any more than they do the greatness of a person. Be sure, Yu is a great athlete however he is an even greater human being.

While the world reacted with the vitriol that has become far to common, Yu responded completely differently. While acknowledging that the act was "disrespectful," Yu did something that still has me standing in awe. He sent out a tweet that, according to sports.yahoo.com said, "No one is perfect. That includes both you and I. What he has done today isn't right, but I believe we should put our effort into learning rather than to accuse him. If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind. Since we are living in such a wonderful world, let's stay positive and move forward instead of focusing on anger. I am counting on everyone's big love." Wow...

I also read somewhere else that one of Yuli's mentors on the Astros is friends with Yu. According to the article I read, Yuli was really down about everything that happened. Yu's friend on the Astros texted Yu sharing that Yulie felt really bad, was down, etc. Yu then texted the mentor back and said something to the affect of, "Please tell him I still think he is a good person. He just made a mistake." When the mentor showed this to Yuli everything changed. The offended had told the offender he still believed in him...how different that life will now be. This is the definition of grace. And it should be noted, when Yuli came up to bat against Yu in Game 7, he tipped his cap to Yu as a sign of respect. How different this all could have gone down had Yu responded differently.

I am like any Dad/parent; I want my Tender Warriors to do good in anything they pursue, be it athletics, school, etc. While they watch and mimic the actions of great football/baseball players and strive to achieve their level of success, I pray they strive to be men like Yu. This world desperately needs them!

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev